By Andrea P.
MiraclePublished about 1991 in
"The Bridge" - a periodical of Brigewater Healthcare
Inc.

The most pleasurable part of
visitation with someone you've never met before is the
possibility that a life story may be waiting there, just ready
for the listening. One such visit introduced me to a lady who
helped to broaden my perspective about what volunteerism can be.

Miss Rebecca Yancey,
"Reba", began her lifestyle of volunteering as a young
child. "It was my good fortune to be an only child",
she said. Her mother and dad agreed on the important ideas in
their lives and one of those ideas was that Reba should learn by
doing and observing. They took her everywhere they went. For
Reba, that meant going to Wednesday night prayer meetings. She
believes she was witness to a healing at the early age of four;
"that makes quite an impression on you", said Reba.
Because of those experiences she feels that time spent praying
for others is a form of volunteerism.

After school each day, Reba
would join her mother for a walk to visit her grandparents and
then on to visit a great aunt. They didn't have phones then and
wanted to make sure their family was all right and had everything
they needed. This daily family walk was 38 blocks round trip.

Reba observed and reacted just
as her parents taught her to. Her mother was active in many civic
and charitable organizations. Reba saw the importance of caring
for others and putting concern into action. She was a member of
the Junior Flower Mission that collected food, clothing and
household goods for the needy. Many times she was able go along
with her mother to deliver those items. Again, a deep impression
was made about how little some people actually have in the way of
possessions.

Following in the footsteps of
her mother and great aunt, Reba developed a talent for painting.
She went along with her parents on her father's business trips
and studied and toured all the local museums and galleries. She
turned that talent into something that other children could
enjoy. She drew and painted paper dolls and painted five
different outfits to go with each little boy or girl doll. She
would then package the doll and outfits in a long white envelope
and distribute them throughout the Junior Flower Mission to
families that couldn't afford toys.

After graduation from high
school, Reba had two offers for employment. She asked her dad for
advice as to which would be right for her. He said neither.
"I'm responsible for you being here, and I'm assuming I can
take care of you for life. You can do all the volunteer work you
can, but no salary. "You may be taking a salary that someone
needs to support a family," Reba quotes her father as
saying.

Reba had decided to go on to
College at Bryn Mawr, but when World War II broke out her parents
felt that Washington would be the place to be. She went to
National Park Seminary Junior College in Washington D.C., took a
general course of study and continued her earlier training in
ballet and voice. The war contributed to the overwork and decline
in health of her father causing her to return home to Canton,
Ohio to help care for him. Shortly after her return the family
doctor restricted her mother's activity. Reba became the head of
the household, but her studying and involvement never ceased even
with the responsibility of caring for her parents.

Reba was able to be part of
other ventures as well. She was a member of a promotional group
to improve the conditions for local families. This led to the
development of what is now the United Way and the Fresh Air Camp
for children in Canton. One of the children who benefited from
six weeks in the country was a child of a very well dressed
immigrant who sold bananas from a carton the square in Canton.
Reba thinks of him often and wishes she had asked him more about
his life and what courage it took to leave all he might have had
to come to America for freedom -- even if it meant selling
bananas in the street.

The Valley was a second home
to Reba. Her father, born and raised in Harrisonburg, brought the
family back to the area for extended visits each year. A house
was purchased on Paul Street to make visiting accommodations
easier and in 1940 Reba and her mother made that house their
permanent home. It was this point in Reba's life that she spent
many volunteer hours researching and documenting family history.
This was done along with many hours devoted to indexing documents
at the Harrisonburg Historical Society. She was one of several
prominent citizens who helped to revive the declining Historical
Society and restore it to it's prominence today. Reba was later
able to publish her family history in the book, "Ancestors
and Descendants of Captain William Layton Yancey and Frances Lynn
Lewis".

Today, at 92, Reba is confined
to a bed and waiting for a time when she has a little more
energy. After all, there is the book about her mother's family
history which hasn't been written yet -- the notes are neatly
compiled and resting on the typewriter in her room. She doesn't
really think a lot about the past, just what else she would like
to accomplish. A lifetime of volunteering for others is a hard
habit to break.

About a year after this article
was written, Reba passed away. The following is her obituary:

She had been a
patient at Rockingham Memorial Hospital in
Harrisonburg since Feb 24 and had been ill for
several years.

Miss Yancey
was born Nov 30, 1898, in Canton, Ohio, and was a
daughter of the late Richard H. and Kate Hay
Yancey.

She spent he
early life in Canton and graduated from National
Park Seminary. She moved to Harrisonburg in 1940
and had lived at Bridgewater Retirement Village
since 1972. She was a member of Asbury United
Methodist Church.

Mr. Richard
Claybrook, Sr, will conduct a graveside service
at 4 p.m. today at Woodbine Cemtery.

Memorial
contributions can be made to Bridgewater Home.

Arrangements
are being handled by Lindsey Harrisonburg Funeral
Home.

Kate H. & Richard H. Yancey
parents of Reba.

More pictures of Reba Yancey when she was
younger
Thanks to Bluesimona@aol.com
for these photos